Hydroxysafflor yellow A attenuates lymphostatic encephalopathy-induced brain injury in rats.

Hydroxysafflor yellow A (HSYA) is a main chemical component of the flower of Carthamus tinctorius. The present study investigated whether HSYA could attenuate brain injury induced by lymphostatic encephalopathy (LE). This was induced in adult male Wistar rats by cervical lymphatic blockade (CLB). Heart rate variability (HRV) was used as an indirect measurement of the regulatory function of the autonomic nervous system by recording the ECG signals from rats. It was shown that treatment with HSYA (5 mg/kg, i.p.) significantly alleviated the neurological deficits observed in rats with LE. Histological staining revealed that HSYA treatment attenuated LE-induced cell apoptosis in the rostral ventrolateral medullus (RVLM). Animals in the LE groups exhibited impaired regulatory roles of the autonomic nervous system in cardiovascular function, which was suppressed by pretreatment with HSYA. Additionally, HSYA administration significantly prevented the decrease of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) mRNA and protein expression in the RVLM of rats with LE. These findings suggest that HSYA might provide neuroprotection against LE-induced brain injury and the associated functional alterations, which is likely regulated by the nitric oxide pathway.

Inhibition of beta-amyloid precursor protein gene in SK-N-SH cells by piperlonguminine/dihydropiperlonguminine components separated from Chinese herbal medicine Futokadsura stem.

Alzheimer disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive cognitive and memory decline. Amyloid precursor protein (APP) is a transmembrane protein, it has been known to play an important role in AD pathogenesis. Previous studies have shown that a Chinese herb Futokadsura stem can selectively inhibit the expression of amyloid precursor protein (APP) gene. We want to find the effective components in Futokadsura stem which have the inhibitory effect. Futokadsura stem was separated and purified with chemical methods, and then different separation components were added on SK-N-SH cells in different concentrations. Using MTT methods, we detected proliferation activity of SK-N-SH cells which were treated with different separation components of Futokadsura stem. Using RT-PCR, Western blot methods, we detected APP gene expression in SK-N-SH cells after they are treated with different Futokadsura stem separation components. We found that piperlonguminine/dihydropiperlonguminine components (1:0.8) separated from Futokadsura stem acetic ether extracts could selectively inhibit the expression of APP gene in SK-N-SH cells in mRNA and protein levels. This inhibition effect is concentration-dependent. Under experimental concentrations, the components did not affect the proliferation activity of SK-N-SH cells. These data suggest that piperlonguminine/dihydropiperlonguminine components are the effective components in Futokadsura stem which can inhibit the expression of APP gene.

Effect of areca on contraction of colonic muscle strips in rats.

AIM: To investigate the effects of areca on the contractile activity of isolated colonic muscle strips in rats and mechanism involved. METHODS: Each strip (LMPC, longitudinal muscle of proximal colon; CMPC, circular muscle of proximal colon; LMDC, longitudinal muscle of distal colon; CMDC, circular muscle of distal colon.) was suspended in a tissue chamber containing 5 mL Krebs solution (37 degrees C), bubbled continuously with 950 mL.L(-1) O(2) and 50 mL.L(-1) CO(2). The mean contractile amplitude (A), the resting tension (T), and the contractile frequency (F) were simultaneously recorded on recorders. RESULTS: Areca dose dependently increased the mean contractile amplitude, the resting tension of proximal and distal colonic smooth muscle strips in rats (P<0.05). It also partly increased the contractile frequency of colonic smooth muscle strips in rats (P<0.05). The effects were partly inhibited by atropine (the resting tension of LMPC decreased from 0.44 +/- 0.12 to 0.17 +/- 0.03; the resting tension of LMDC decreased from 0.71 +/- 0.14 to 0.03 +/- 0.01; the mean contractile amplitude of LMPC increased from -45.8 +/- 7.2 to -30.5 +/- 2.9; the motility index of CMDC decreased from 86.6 +/- 17.3 to 32.8 +/- 9.3; P<0.05 vs areca), but the effects were not inhibited by hexamethonium (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: Areca stimulated the motility of isolated colonic smooth muscle strips in rats. The stimulation of areca might be relevant with M receptor partly.

[Depressive effect of total flavonoid fraction of Asttragalus complanatus R. Br and its influence upon hemodynamics in SHR].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate effects of total flavonoid fraction of Asttragalus complanatus on blood pressure in conscious spontaneously hypertensive rats(SHR) and hemodynamics in anesthetized SHR. METHOD: Blood pressure was recorded with tail-culf method and hemodynamics was recorded with polygraph after administration of total flavonoid fraction of Asttragalus complanatus. RESULT: Total flavonoid fraction of Asttragalus complanatus (100, 200 mg.kg-1) could decrease blood pressure of conscious SHR(decreasing 7.1%, P < 0.05 and 9.3%, P < 0.01 respectively). Meanwhile, there was no significant change in heart rate(HR). R Br (200 mg.kg-1) could decrease total peripheral resistance (TPR) (decreasing 20%, P < 0.05) but did not influence the cardiac output(CO) and heart rate in anesthetized SHR. CONCLUSION: Total flavonoid fraction of Asttragalus complanatus possesses obvious hypotensive effect, mainly by means of decreasing the TPR.